1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to voltage regulators, and in particular relates to temperature independent voltage regulators.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The base-to-emitter voltage (V.sub.be) of a conducting transistor bipolar is known to be highly stable, having a temperature coefficient of -2 mV per .degree.C. The stability of this voltage results from a physical property of the silicon PN junction--the energy gap ("bandgap") in silicon between the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band. Thus, if the bandgap voltage is matched with a voltage which temperature coefficient is approximately 2 mV per .degree.C., a substantially temperature independent voltage regulator can be achieved. Such a voltage regulator is known in the art as a "bandgap" regulator.